Motor mount for boats



Get. 24, 1967 HAYES 3,348,794

MOTOR MOUNT FOR BOATS Filed Oct. 7, 1965 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

wry/0%) %TORNEV$ Oct. 24, 1967 A. M. HAYES 3,348,794

MOTOR MOUNT FOR BOATS Filed Oct. 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 150 f film? 7X Hag/as United States Patent 3,348,794 MOTOR MOUNT FOR BOATS Allan M. Hayes, 2675 Douglas Drive, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. 48013 Filed Oct. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 493,637 13 Claims. (Cl. 248-4) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A motor mounting attachment for sailboats and the like which have an inboard well at the stern thereof and, more specifically, to a mounting attachment including link means adapted at one end thereof for pivotal attachment to the boat and adapted at the other end thereof for pivotal attachment to an outboard type motor so that, upon attachment of the link means to the boat adjacent the well thereof, the link means may be pivoted in one direction from a support position to move the motor out of the well and the motor may pivot relative to the link means and the link means may be pivoted in the opposite direction back to the support position to dispose the motor transversely above the well.

Sailboats, as well as other types of boats, frequently use an outboard type motor to provide auxiliary power. Such an outboard motor is often mounted vertically near the stern of the sailboat with the motor shaft extending through a well and into the water. When such an auxiliary motor is not in use, it is desirable to remove the motor from the well because of propeller and well drag while the boat is under sail. Normally, the motor must be manually lifted from the well for storage in a compartment on the sailboat. That is to say, the motor must be disconnected from the sailboat and placed in a storage compartment on the boat, which is a very awkward and straining operation since the motor is often bulky and unwieldy.

In other instances, the motor is clamped to the boat and hinged so that it may be pivoted up into the well and out of the water. When such an auxiliary motor is thus attached to the boat, however, the well and the compartment thereabove for storing the motor be large enough to permit the motor to be pivoted out of the water. Hence, the well opening in such an arrangement is frequently of an undesirably large size since it must be large enough to permit the motor shaft to clear the well as the motor is pivoted into the compartment above the well. Additionally, such a hinged motor when pivoted out of the well will frequently project upwardly sutficiently to be observable, thus impairing the attractive design of the sailboat.

Accordingly, it is an object and feature of the present invention to provide a motor lift means for operatively interconnecting a boat and an auxiliary motor for moving the motor back and forth between a propelling position in a well in the boat and a stowed position above the well with a maximum utilization of space and a well of minimum size.

Another object and feature of this invention is to provide link means adapted at one end thereof to be pivotally connected to a boat and adapted at the other end thereof to be pivotally connected to a motor such that upon pivotal movement of the link means in a first direction from a support position the motor is lifted substantially upwardly out of a minimum-sized well to a position where the propeller of the motor clears the Well so that the motor may be pivoted relative to the link means and the link means pivoted in the opposite direction back to the support position resting upon the boat structure so that 3,348,794 Patented Get. 24, 1967 the motor is disposed in a stowed position substantially transversely above the well, and so that the motor may be moved from the stowed position to the propelling position in the same manner.

A further object and feature of this invention is to provide link means adapted to be pivotally connected to a boat at one end and adapted to be pivotally connected to a motor at the other end for raising substantially upward a motor out of a well, and actuation means for operatively interconnecting the boat and the link means to act upon the link means to at least aid in pivoting the link means relative to the boat for raising the motor out of the well.

In general, these and other objects and features of this invention may be attained by link means including a pair of parallel arms each pivotally connected at a first end thereof to a sailboat adjacent a well therein with a crossbar interconnecting the arms adjacent the respective second ends thereof. Means are included for pivotally connecting the motor to the crossbar and the arms are preferably shaped so as to have a portion thereof extending across the well and resting upon the boat structure, with another portion extending substantially upward from the first portion to the pivotal connection to the boat. In addition, actuation means interconnects the boat and the arms for aiding in pivoting the arms upward to raise the motor out of the well. Hence, the arms may be pivoted upwardly so that the motor moves substantially upward out of a minimum-sized well to the point where the propeller clears the well so that thereafter the motor may be pivoted relative to the arms and the arms pivoted in the opposite direction downward to rest upon the boat structure so that the motor is disposed substantially transversely above the minimum-sized well.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view partly in cross section of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the motor in the propelling position;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view partly in cross section of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 1 with the motor being shown intermediate the propeller position and the stowed position;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view partly in cross section of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 with the motor shown in the stowed position;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view of another preferred embodiment of the instant invention with the motor shown in the propelling position;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary View similar to FIGURE 6 but showing the motor intermediate the propelling position and the stowed position;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 8-8 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE -9 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG- URE 8 but showing the motor intermediate the propelling position and the stowed position;

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view .similar to FIG- URES 8 and 9 but showing the motor in the stowed position; and

FIGURE 11 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 11-11 of FIGURE 5.

Referring to FIGURES 1 through 4, a boat 10 is shown which includes a well 12 with a storage space, generally shown at 14, above the well 12. A motor 16 is normally disposed in the stowed position in the storage space 14 as illustrated in FIGURE 3. The motor 16 is also insertable into a propelling position in the well 12 as illustrated in FIGURE 1 for propelling the boat 10.

A motor lift means is generally shown at 18 and operatively interconnects the boat and the motor 16 for moving the motor back and forth between the propelling position illustrated in FIGURE 1 and the stowed position illustrated in FIGURE 3. The motor 16 is illustrated as of the well-known outboard motor type which includes an elongated propeller supporting portion 20 which extends through the well 12 and exteriorly of the boat 10 when the motor is in the propelling position as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The propeller supporting portion 20 also extends substantially transversely across the upper extremity of the well 12 when the motor is in the stowed position as illustrated in FIGURE 3.

The motor lift means .18 includes link means, generally indicated at 22, which comprises a pair of parallel arms 24 and a crossbar 26 interconnecting the arms 24. Means are included for pivotally connecting the crossbar 26 to the motor 16 and preferably comprises the clamping members 28 which are pivotally connected through the pivot pins 30 to the motor 16. The clamping members 28 are of the type normally combined with an outboard motor for attaching the motor to a boat structure sothat the outboard motor may pivot relative thereto about the pivot pins 30. 7

Means are also included for pivotally connecting the other ends of the arms 24 of the link means 22 to the boat 10 at a point remote from pivot pins 30 and the well 12 for allowing the motor 16 to move from the propelling position illustrated in FIGURE 1 as the link means 22 pivots in a first direction upward so that the motor is lifted from the well and may pivot relative to the link means 22 as illustrated in phantom in FIGURE 2 so that the link means 22 may be then pivoted in the opposite direction downward to dispose the motor in the stowed position over the well as illustrated in FIGURE 3, which means includes a rod 32 which is secured to opposite sides of the boat 10 and passes through the respective arms 24 of the link means 22 so that the arms 24 may pivot relative to the boat 10. It will be noted from a comparison of FIGURES 1 and 3 that the arms 24 of the link means 22 are disposed in a support position in engagement with the boat 10 adjacent the top of the well 12 when the motor 16 t is in the stowed position as illustrated in FIGURE 3 and when the motor 16 is in the propelling position as illustrated in FIGURE 1. Thus, the arms 24 of the link means 22 are pivoted in a first direction upward from the support position as illustrated in FIGURE 2 nierely for changing the motor 16 from the stowed position to the propelling position and vice versa. The arms 24 of the link means 22 extend in a direction which is substantially fore and aft of the boat 10 when in the support position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 so that the link means22 pivots relative to the boat 10 about the longitudinal axis of the rod 32 and the motor pivots relative to the link means 22 about the axis of the pins 30. The longitudinal axis of the rod 32 extends substantially transverse the boat 10 between the port and starboard sides thereof and the axis of the pins 30 extends substantially transverse of the boat between the port and starboard sides thereof. The arms 24 of the link means 22, frequently due to the shape of the boat 10, preferably extend across the well 12 and thereafter extend in an upward direction to the rod 32 when the arms 24 are in the support position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3.

As will be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art, the motor 16 may be moved between the stowed position and the propelling position manually or various actuation means may be utilized to pivot the arms 24 of the link means 22 or to aid in the pivotal movement of the arms 24 of the link means 22; one such actuation means is shown generally at 34. The actuation means 34 operatively interconnects the boat 10 and the link means 22 to act upon the arms 24 of the link means 22 to aid in pivoting the arms 24 relative to the boat 10. The actuation means 34 includes lever means comprising the levers 36 which are connected in pairs and are pivotally connected to the boat 10 at a first end thereof by the pins 38 and engage the arms 24 of the link means 22 at the second end thereof by way of the rollers 40 which are disposed for relative movement along the arms 24 of the link means 22 during pivotal movement thereof. The rollers 40 are rotatably secured between respective pairs of levers 36. A brace 42, illustrated in FIGURE 4, interconects the pairs of levers 36 and biasing means including the springs 44 urges the rollers 40 against the arms 24 of the link means 22 so that the levers 36 urge the arms 24 of the link means 22 to pivot upwardly relative to the boat 10. The springs 44 are connected at one end to the boat 10 by the eyelets 46 and are connected at the other end to the brace 42 by the eyelets 48. The springs 44 are disposed relative to the levers 36 so that when the arms 24 are in the support position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 little upward force is applied to the levers 36 by the springs 44, hence little upward force is applied through the rollers 40 to the arms 24. However, when the arms 24 are pivoted upwardly a slight amount, a greater upward force is applied to the levers 36 by the springs 44 to urge upward pivotal movement of the arms 24. The springs 44 do not have sufficient strength to lift the motor 16 without additional manual lifting forces being applied to the motor 16, but the springs 44 of the actuation means 34 may be disposed such that very little manual effort is needed to raise the motor 16 upwardly. The actuation means, therefore, aids in pivoting the arms 24 of the link means 22 upwardly so that the motor may be changed from the propelling position illustrated in FIGURE 1 and the stowed position illustrated in FIGURE 3 and vice versa.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 through 11, another preferred embodiment of the instant invention is shown in combination with a boat 110. The boat includes a well 112 with a storage space, generally shown at 114, above the well 112. A motor 116 is normally disposed in the stowed position in the storage space 114 as illustrated in FIGURE 10. The motor 116 is also insertable into a propellin g position in the well 112, as illustrated in FIGURES 5, 6, 8 and 11, for propelling the boat 110.

A motor lift means is generally shown at 118 and operatively interconnects the boat 110 and the motor 116 for moving the motor back and forth between the propelling position illustrated most clearly in FIGURE 8 and the stowed position illustrated in FIGURE 10. The illustrated motor 116 .is of the well-known outboard motor type which includes an elongated propeller supporting portion 120 which extends through the well 112 and exteriorly of the boat 110 when the motor is in the propelling position illustrated in FIGURE 8. The propeller supporting portion 120 also extends substantially transversely across the upper extremity of the .well 112 when the motor 116 is in the stowed position, as illustrated in FIG- URE 10.

The motor lift means 118 includes link means generally indicated at 122 which comprises a pair of parallel arms 124 and a crossbar 126 interconnecting the arms 124. Means is also included for pivotally connecting the crossbar 126 of the link means 122 to the motor 116 and preferably includes the support member 127, the hinge 129, and the clamping members 128. The support member 127 is pivotally connected through the hinge 129 to the crossbar 126 of the link means 122 and is also attached to the motor 116 through the clamping members 128. The cl-ampingmembers 128 are of the well-known type utilized with outboard motors and are connected to the motor 116 through the pins 130.'The motor 116 may pivot with the support member 127 relative to the arms 124 through the hinge 129.

Means are included for pivotally connecting the other end of the arms 124 of the link means 122 to the boat 110 at a point remote from the hinge 129 and the well 112 for allowing the motor 116 to move from the propelling position as the link means 122' pivots in a first direction upward and the motor may pivot relative to the link means 122 through the hinge 129 so that the link means 122 may be then pivoted in the opposite direction downward to dispose the motor in the stowed position over the well, as illustrated in FIGURE 10, which means includes the pins 132 which are secured to the support members 133. It will be noted from a comparison of FIGURES 8 and 10 that the arms 124 of the link means 122 are disposed in the support position in engagement with the boat 110 adjacent the top of the well 112 when the motor 116 is in the stowed position illustrated in FIGURE 10 and when the motor 116 is in the propelling position illustrated in FIGURE 8. Thus, as in the case of the first embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through 4, the arms 124 of the link means 122 are pivoted in a first direction upward as illustrated in FIGURE 9 merely for changing the motor 116 from the stowed position to the propelling position and vice versa. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES through 11, the arms 124 of the link means 122 extend in a direction which is substantially transverse the boat 110 when in the support position illustrated in FIG-. URES 8 and so that the link means 122 pivots relative to the boat 110 about the longitudinal axis of the pins 132 and the motor pivots relative to the link means 122 about the axis of the hinge 129. The longitudinal axis of the pins 132 extends substantially fore and aft of the boat 110 and the axis of the hinge 129 extends substantially fore and aft of the boat 110. As in the case of the first embodiment illustrated, the arms 124 of the link means 122, frequently due to the shape of the boat 110, preferably extend across the well 112 and thereafter extend in an upward direction to the pins 132 when the arms 124 of the link means 122 are in the support position illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 10.

As will be evident from the perusal of FIGURES 8, 9 and 10, the motor 116 may be moved back and forth between the stowed and propelling positions, and to be moved from the propelling position, as illustrated in FIG- URE 8, the arms 124 are pivoted upward as the support member 127 pivots relative to the arms 124 by way of the hinge 129. Once the motor 116 is in the position illustrated in FIGURE 9, the propeller is clear of the top of the well 112 and the motor 116 and support member 127 may be pivoted relative to the arms 124 so that the motor assumes the transverse position illustrated in FIGURE 10 as the arms 124 are pivoted in the opposite direction downward to the support position. Thus, whenever the arms 124 are in the support position, the support member 127 is disposed above the arms 124, and, when the motor 116 is in the propelling position, as illustrated in FIGURE 8, the support member 127 is supported atop the arms 124.

An alternative embodiment of the actuation means is generally shown at 134, but it is to be understood that various other actuation means may be utilized and the actuation means 134 may be interchanged with the actuation means 34, and vice versa. The actuation means 134 operatively interconnects the boat 110 and the link means 122 to act upon the arms 124 to pivot the arms 124 relative to the boat 110. The actuation means 134 includes a shaft 136 which is rotatably attached to the boat 110 through the support members 138 and 140. The shaft 136 has threads 142 on one end thereof which are oppositely disposed from the threads 144 on the opposite end thereof, as is indicated in FIGURE 7. A first female nut means 146 is disposed on the threads 142 and a second female nut means 148 is disposed on the threads 144. The wheel 150 may be manually rotated to move the female nut means 146 and 148 together and apart. Means comprising the members 152, pin 154 and brace 156 interconnect the respective female nut means 146 and 148 with the arms 124 of the link means 122, the brace 156 being secured by welding or the like to the respective arms 124. Upon rotation of the wheel 150, the female nut means 146 and 148 are moved closer together or farther apart to change the angulation of the members 152 for pivoting the arms 124 of the link means 122 relative to the boat Applicant has illustrated two preferred embodiments of the instant invention which in its broadest aspects includes a boat having a well therein with a storage space above the well so that a motor may be disposed in a stowed position in the storage space or may be inserted into a propelling position in the well for propelling the boat by a motor lift means which operatively interconnects the boat and the motor for moving the motor back and forth between the propelling position and the stowed position since the motor lift means may be moved from a support position on the boat to change the position of the motor relative thereto and may be moved back to the support position when the motor has been moved from one of the stowed position or the propelling position to the other.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in the sailboat environment, it is to be understood that the instant invention may be equally as well adapted to other types of boats.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner and it is to be understoodthat the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of Words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that Within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu- 1sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as folows:

1. A boat having a well and a storage space above said well, a motor normally disposed in a stowed position in said storage space and insertable into a propelling position in said well for propelling said boat, and motor lift means operatively connected to said boat for movement relative to said boat to and from a support position, means for supporting said motor lift means in said support position, said motor lift means being operatively connected to said motor for supporting said motor in said propelling and stowed positions while in said support position and for allowing said motor to move between said propelling and stowed positions as said motor lift means moves relative to said boat.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said motor lift means includes link means, first means pivotally connecting said link means to said motor, and second means pivotally connecting said link means to said boat at a point remote from said first means for allowing said motor to move from said propelling position out of said well as said link means pivots from said support position in a first direction and for allowing said motor to pivot relative to said link means so that said link means may be pivoted in the opposite direction to said support position to dispose said motor in said stowed position over said well.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said motor includes an elongated propeller supporting portion which extends through said well and exteriorly of said boat when said motor is in said propelling position and which elongated propeller supporting portion extends substantially transversely across the upper extremity of said well when said motor is in said stowed position.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said link means extends in a direction substantially fore and aft of said boat when in said support position so that said link means pivots relative to said boat about an axis extending substantially transverse said boat between port and starboard and said motor pivots relative to said link means about an axis extending substantially transverse said boat between port and starboard.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein the longitudinal axis of said link means extends substantially transversely of said boat when in said support position so that said link means pivots relative to said boat about an axis extending substantially fore and aft of said boat and said motor pivots relative to said linkmeans about an. axis which extends substantially fore and aft of said boat.

6. Thecombination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first means includes a support member pivotally connected to said link means and attached to said motor, said support member being disposed on said link means when said link means is disposed in said support position andsaid motor is in said propelling position.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein a part of said link means extends across said well and another part extends in an upward direction to said second means when said link means is in said support position.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said link means includes a pair of parallel arms each pivotally connected at a first end thereof to said boat by said second means, and a crossbar interconnecting said arms adjacent the respective second ends thereof.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first means pivotally connects said motor to said crossbar.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said motor lift means includes actuation means operatively interconnecting said boat and said link means to act upon said link means to at least aid in pivoting said link means relative to said boat.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 10 wherein said actuation means includes a shaft rotatably attached to said boat, first threads on one end of said shaft and oppositely disposed threads on the opposite end of said shaft, first female means disposed on said first threads and second female means disposed on said second threads, and means interconnecting said female means and said link means for pivoting said link means relative to said boat upon rotation of said shaft.

12. The combination as set forth in claim 10 wherein said actuation means includes lever means pivotally connected to said boat at a first end thereof and engaging said link means at the second end thereof for relative movement along said link means at said second end thereof, and biasing means urging said second end against said link means so that said lever means urges said link means to pivot relative to said boat.

13. In combination, a boat having a well, a motor, link means for movement relative to said boat to and from a support position, means pivotally connecting one end of said link means to said boat, means pivotally connecting the other end. of said link means to said motor, and means for at least in part supporting said motor in a stowed position which is substantially transverse to said well so that said motor may be moved between said stowed position and a propelling position in said well by pivoting relative to said link means as said link means pivots relative to said boat; 1

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,204,895 11/1916 Michel -41 2,718,206 9/1955 Camp 115-17 2,859,929 11/ 1958 Shontz 248-4 2,901,194 8/1959 Shontz 248-4 2,905,132 9/1959 Lewis et al. 115-41 JOHN PETO, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BOAT HAVING A WELL AND A STORAGE SPACE ABOVE SAID WELL, A MOTOR NORMALLY DISPOSED IN A STOWED POSITION IN SAID STORAGE SPACE AND INSERTABLE INTO A PROPELLING POSITION IN SAID WELL FOR PROPELLING SAID BOAT, AND MOTOR LIFT MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID BOAT FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID BOAT TO AND FROM A SUPPORT POSITION, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID MOTOR LIFT MEANS IN SAID SUPPORT POSITION, SAID MOTOR LIFT MEANS BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR FOR SUPPORTING SAID MOTOR IN SAID PROPELLING AND STOWED POSITIONS WHILE IN SAID SUPPORT POSITION AND FOR ALLOWING SAID MOTOR TO MOVE BETWEEN SAID PROPELLING AND STOWED POSITIONS AS SAID MOTOR LIFT MEANS MOVES RELATIVE TO SAID BOAT. 